Patjens Lakes

Patjens Lakes loop is a 6.75 mile hike in the Mt. Washington Wilderness, and is mostly flat, easy, and perfect for kids 7 and up. This hike starts right next to West Big Lake campground, where people can camp with their horses and their motorcycles since both are recreation options in the Big Lake and Hoodoo recreation area. The parking area for day hikers is well marked and the sign at the trailhead is very large. You can't miss it!

Within .1 miles of entering the trail, you will see a trail split (Y junction). This is where the loop starts. I suggest doing this hike counter-clockwise, since there are some views you can easily miss by going the other way. So at the sign turn right. After walking a mile or so, you will come across a large beautiful meadow which the trail follows for a little while. Early in the season (late June and early July) there will be a multitude of wildflowers here, and in the fall, the meadow will be golden with hints of red. After the meadow ends, there is a split in the trail. The trail to the right goes to horse camp, which is the staging area for the equestrian riders. You will continue on the trail to the left.

(A beautiful large meadow along the trail)

(Sand Mountain)

After the large trail junction, the trail trends uphill for a bit until reaching a low pass, with glimpses of Sand Mountain's double humps in the distance. ​The trail follows the top of a ridge, and at the far end, before it dips down into the woods again, keep an eye out for views of Mt. Washington, the Three Sisters, the Husband, and Scott Mountain.

(Three Sisters viewpoint)

(Patjens Lake No.1)

From the open ridge, the trail disappears into the woods. On this side of the hill, the signs of forest fire and beetle kill aren't as prevalent and the forest has fern undergrowth and lots of green trees. ​

The first Patjens Lake you will come to is nothing more than a pond to the right of the trail. Beyond the pond there looked to be a perfect flat camping spot though. If you want to camp and stay away from the crowds at some of the other lakes or at Big Lake, this would be the perfect spot. ​

(Patjens Lake No.2)

Half a mile past lake number 1, you will come across the second Patjens Lake. This one is sheltered by trees and the water is a beautiful jade color.

(Patjens Lake No.3)

The third of the Patjens Lakes is the most popular one because it is very large and is surrounded by a soft meadow with sandy ground underneath, perfect for camping. The fourth lake is right next to the third one, and it is very shallow, so depending on snowfall that year, in July or August it could be mostly dried up. ​

(Patjen Lake No.4)

(Fire Weed going to seed)

After seeing all of the Patjens Lakes, there is a 1.5 mile trek until you get to Big Lake. This 1.5 mile stretch is probably the hardest because the trail trends uphill again and the trail here is even more sandy and dusty than it is in other places along the hike. On very dry days, at one point you could be walking in about 4-5 inches of loose sand/dust. Make sure not to wear low rise shoes, as you will get lots of sand in them on this hike!

(Example of 4 inches of sand on the trail)

After 1.5 miles of what seems like the endless sandy abyss, you will come to an unmarked T junction. The trail to the right will take you to Big Lake Youth Camp, which is a Christian church camp. You will want to take the trail that goes to the left and hike 1 mile back to the trailhead. The view across Big Lake at Hayrick Butte is awesome, and if you look behind you, on a clear day you will see an amazing view of Mt. Washington as well. On a warm day, you should definitely enjoy the sandy beaches at the lake below.

(On a clear day you can see a view of Mt. Washington from the trail)

Overall, this hike is awesome and one of my favorite hikes in Oregon! If you go during late June and early July, you will get to see all of the beautiful wildflowers that bloom among the burned forest, however you might have to deal with mosquitoes. September and October are perfect months for hiking this trail as well, however please dress in bright colors, as this area is extremely popular for fall deer hunting. This hike is perfect for ages 7 and up, and you can even make this into a backpacking trip if you wanted to make it a shorter hike each day and camp at one of the lakes.

Directions: Drive on Hwy. 20 to Santiam Pass. Here turn south at the sign for Hoodoo Ski area. Follow paved Big Lake Rd. 4 miles to a hiker symbol sign on the right. There is special parking designated for hikers and and area for horse trailers. You will need your Annual Northwest Forest Pass, or pay $5 for parking if you don't have one.

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To get a more in-depth and personal view of this hike, watch the YouTube video.

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*All pictures are taken by Franziska Weinheimer

*Disclaimer: the trail descriptions, mileage, GPS tracks and difficulty ratings depicted on this website are never 100% accurate. Always hike at your own risk, using your own knowledge, equipment and common sense. Franziska Weinheimer/Hike Oregon are not responsible if you or anyone in your party gets injured or lost while attempting one of these or any other hikes.